Faculty Resources

Active Listening
Students can improve class success by listening for key information from their instructors and others. We talk about the importance of listening actively, how to listen actively, concrete strategies for combating distractions, and the benefits of active listening efforts.

Better Notes for Better Grades
In this workshop, we discuss two main functions of note taking, how & when to take notes, and what notes should look like & include. We also demonstrate an efficient pre-lecture study method and alternative systems of note taking. We offer 12 tips for creating good notes.

Calming Test Anxiety
Many students feel a high level of anxiety when taking tests. The encouraging news for students is that they can learn how to reduce and manage this potential obstacle to good grades. In this workshop, we focus on how to recognize the signs and causes of test anxiety, ways to prevent it, and techniques to cope with it.

Critical Thinking Fundamentals
This skill is essential for high achievement! Students attending this workshop will find out (or review) what critical thinking really is and how they can improve their critical thinking skills.

Goal Setting
How do dreams become reality? Working backward from a large, long-term goal we form intermediate and short-term goals, and establish specific steps students can take to ensure they reach the big goal.

Managing Your Personal Budget
We cover the basics of how to make and manage a personal budget. The workshop is designed for people who are tired of running out of money before the next paycheck or of fighting and worrying about money. People who know they need to save more will also appreciate this session.

Six Steps to Better Studying
This presentation outlines a study routine that works well in lecture courses that require memorizing, such as Government, Psychology, or Anatomy and Physiology. It is also easily adapted to content that demands critical thinking, such as nursing.

Stress Management
We give students an up-to-the-minute overview of best practice in stress reduction.

Test-Taking Tips
Students may not take the time to strategize their approach to a test. Yet that single step can often yield significant score increases! First, we focus on general testing strategies. Additionally, we discuss concrete approaches to multiple choice, matching, essay, and true/false questions. We also briefly discuss the roles of time management, critical thinking, and test anxiety as they relate to test performance.

Time Management
This workshop shows students how to take control of their time in order to create a more productive and balanced life. Students learn how to keep key goals in mind when prioritize tasks, how best to determine when to do what, and how to use scheduling to their advantage.

MCE/ICE Preparation
We talk about how to register for and prepare for the developmental writing exit exam, and we show students how they can break down the 2 hours of the test into smaller tasks leading toward a passing mark. A sample prompt provided by the Writing faculty is distributed for practice.

RCE Preparation
We discuss how to prepare for the developmental reading exit exam. We emphasize testing and reading strategies to help students approach the test with confidence. In addition, we discuss actual test questions together, focusing on why the right answer is right.

TI-85 Calculator
The TI-85 is a popular graphing calculator. We discuss the major math operations processed by this calculator and show students how to use this calculator as a good resource for solving certain math problems.

General Teaching Resources